A typical health care device undergoes significant use and wear throughout its lifespan. Damage to the surface of the health care device, such as, tears, punctures, rips, burns, wear, cracks, and other surface damage, is unattractive, unsanitary and presents potential health risks. Increasingly, health care providers are becoming aware of the role that contaminated environmental surfaces play in the transmission of pathogens. Patient care initiatives, particularly infection control efforts, are becoming more prevalent. At least 30% of health care associated infections can be prevented by following infection prevention and control strategies (Haley R W, Culver D H, White J W, Morgan W M, et al. (1985) The nationwide nosocomial infection rate: a new need for vital statistics. Am J Epidemiol. Vol. 121:159-67). One challenge in cleaning or disinfecting the surfaces of health care devices is the occurrence of small tears and other damage to the surface of the device. Not only is routine cleaning of health care devices suboptimal, but damaged surfaces typically cannot be fully cleaned or disinfected thereby creating a potential reservoir for infectious agents.
Health care devices used in hospital environments have been found to be a source of health care associated infections. Environmental microbiological surveys have indicated that hospital devices (for example, beds, tables, stools, wheelchairs, racks, trolleys, stretchers, mattresses, catheter-bag, and other furniture, equipment and articles used in a hospital environment) can be contaminated with pathogens at a higher incidence relative to other surfaces (see, for example, Rampling A, Wiseman S, Davis L., et al. (2001) Evidence that hospital hygiene is important in the control of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. J Hosp Infect. Vol. 49:109-116; and Blythe D, Keenlyside D, Dawson S J, Galloway A. (1998) Environmental contamination due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. J Hosp Infect. Vol. 38:67-70). In addition, there have been reports of hospital mattresses contaminated with infectious agents, including for example, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE), Acinetobacter, and other fungal and viral pathogens. Hospital mattresses damaged by extensive use, tears and sharp objects, such as needles, may create a potential reservoir for infectious agents and a portal for entry and exit of infectious agents. Several studies have demonstrated that damaged mattresses have had a role in outbreaks, the transmission of disease to patients, and in some cases patient death (see Creamer E, Humphreys H. (2008) The contribution of beds to healthcare-associated infection: the importance of adequate decontamination, J Hosp Infect. Vol. 69:8-23; Sherertz R J, Sullivan M L. (1985) An outbreak of infections with Acinetobactercalcoaceticus in burn patients: contamination of patients' mattresses. J Infect Dis. Vol. 151:252-258; Moore E P, Williams E W. (1991) A maternity hospital outbreak of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. J Hosp Infect. Vol. 19:5-16; Ndawula E M, Brown L. (1991) Mattresses as reservoirs of epidemicmethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Lancet. Vol. 337:488.; Fujita K, Lilly H A, Kidson A, Ayliffe G A. (1981) Gentamicin resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection from mattresses in a burns unit. Br Med J. Vol. 283:219-220; Robertson M H, Hoy G, Peterkin I M. (1980) Anti-static mattress as a reservoir of pseudomonas infection. Br Med J. Vol. 280:831-832; and O'Donoghue M A, Allen K D. (1992) Costs of an outbreak of wound infection in an orthopaedic ward. J Hosp Infect. Vol. 22:73-79). These studies discuss that damaged hospital mattresses may harbour infectious agents and result in nosocomial infections, and intact mattresses or health care devices are preferred for appropriate cleaning, disinfection and infection prevention and control.
As a result, many health care providers have instituted policies requiring the replacement of health care devices having damaged surfaces or the replacement of the damaged components of the device. However, replacement of a health care device or its damaged components can be costly, may result in equipment downtime, and the likelihood of a tear or other surface damage occurring after replacement is high. Thus many health care devices are left in a damaged state.
Prior art solutions exist to repair damaged surfaces of a variety of non-medical devices. In one solution, ready-mix glue is applied to the damaged portion of the surface. However, this solution tends to be messy, leaves the surface temporarily out of service, and may create toxic fumes or be toxic through direct contact. In another solution, duct or other types of tape are applied to the damaged portion of the surface. However, the edges of the tape tend to breakdown after extended use or following the application of liquids or body fluids. These edges can be difficult to clean properly, thereby, creating an additional potential reservoir for infectious agents.